MSI is known for its drastically effective video gaming machines. Now, the latest offering is a semi-compact video gaming laptop computer called the Cyborg 15. The cost is right at simply over $1,000 and the newer Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 GPU is a beast in the graphics department. That said, we had a couple of cautions about this specific machine.
According to my preliminary efficiency measurements, this computer appears to under-perform when compared to the competition. Nitpicks aide, if it’s pure graphics you’re after, then graphics you’ll get.
Trying to find more choices? Have a look at PCWorld’s roundup of the best video gaming laptops available right now.
MSI Cyborg 15: Specifications
Processor: Intel Core i5-12450H with 4 Performance cores approximately 4,4 GHz + 4 Efficiency cores as much as 3,3 GHz
Graphics: Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060, 8GB
Memory: 16 GB DDR5
Storage: 512 GB SSD
Display: 15.6 inch matte IPS, 1920 × 1080 pixels, 144 Hz
Web cam: 720p
Connections: USB 3 gen 1 type c with DisplayPort, 2 pcs USB 3 gen 1 type a, USB 2.0, lan, HDMI, headset
Wireless: WiFi 6, Bluetooth 5.2
Running system: Windows 11 Home
Other: Backlit keyboard, numeric keypad
Noise level: 0-42 dBa
Battery life: 1 hr 35 minutes (high load), 8 hr 50 minutes (low load).
Size: 35.9 x 25 x 2 cm.
Weight: 4.36 pounds.
Price: $999 (standard), $1099 (as set up).
MSI Cyborg 15: Performance.
Cinebench R23, CPU: 8,824 points.
Cinebench R23, CPU and core: 1,556 points.
Geekbench 6, CPU: 8,889 points.
Geekbench 6, CPU and core: 2,138 points.
Geekbench 6, GPU: 77,857 points.
Disk read: 3,628.11 MB/s.
Disk write: 2,474.03 MB/s.
MSI Cyborg 15: Better at gaming in practice.
But once you’re in the video game, you’ll discover a boost for the graphics card, compared to simpler computer systems on paper. It performs at a higher frame rate and it’s possible to have more demanding graphics settings than I can manage in other computers for this rate. Not much better, but partially.
It should have been better, though, so maybe the cooling in the computer isn’t effective enough. In standard mode, it’s automatic and AI controlled, and you can likewise pick between silent, balanced and high performance modes, however apart from the quiet mode, I do not see performance being affected, simply the fan noise, which can go from a subtle whisper to brief loud bumps at very high volume.
That this is a gaming laptop computer is obvious in many ways. It even says “MSI TRUE GAMIN” (yes, without the final G, or at least barely understandable) in giant letters on the bottom.
MSI Cyborg 15: Not extremely heavy.
The computer system is a little thicker than most basic 15-inch computers without game graphics, but it’s not excessively big or heavy. You’ll be bring just under two kilos.
You get a comfy keyboard with well-sized keys and clear click reaction. The backlight is a consistent blue, and I don’t see that there would be RGB control on the color. It’s generally possible to download and install otherwise in MSI’s MSI Center control software application, however that alternative never ever appears. It’s blue or nothing. It is easy to change the brightness with a function button, so if you can tolerate the color, it works well.
The base is plastic, however the surface area around the keyboard and mouse is a cool, matte light-weight metal that’s comfy to rest your wrists on. The mouse pad is comfy, however the accuracy is a bit lacking at times; I need to push a bit on the surface area for it to identify movement.
MSI Cyborg 15: Fast however pale screen.
A screen with 1080p resolution and 144Hz frame rate produces a good gaming experience, even if response times are only semi-short. Sufficient for most people, but a little too slow for a critical e-sports gamer. It’s also rather pale in color. It doesn’t reach the srgb level but winds up at simply over 60 percent of it, which indicates that colors are bland in both movies and video games.
The brightness of around 250 cd/m2 is likewise very little to cheer about and indicates that dynamics and contrast suffer, although it can be reasonably dark in black pixels. The screen is really best for daily tasks such as searching and checking out files.
The computer system’s speakers deliver rather weak noise. With average pressure in the bass and lost details in the treble, they are acceptable at finest. If the fans are blowing, the speakers might have to work hard to drown it out.
MSI Cyborg 15: Charging is needed.
Battery life is never much to cheer about in a computer system like this. I get barely two hours of runtime when playing requiring video games, and perhaps a full working day of browsing and emailing. But simply possibly, with too much brightness and a little bit more load on the processor, the hours diminish.
You charge the battery with a different ISO port, and after that have a USB-C port for data or display, along with two USB Type-A ports, all 3 with USB 3 Gen 1 speed. You also get fixed gigabit networking, if you do not want to link wirelessly. Its Wi-Fi 6 is quick and stable, but I miss out on the assistance for 6 GHz and Wi-Fi 6e that a number of its rivals have.
It’s not a single essential thing enough to reduce the rating, however the MSI Cyborg 15 accumulates a list of things that either make my time with the computer less satisfying or restrict what it’s good at. The exception is when I play games, when the power of the graphics card enters its own. However a nicer screen would have been welcome even for that.
